MALAYSIA: Customs Catches Fabric Smugglers

The state Customs Department is believed to have broken up a major fabric smuggling racket with the arrest of two men and the seizure of about RM700,000 ($184,240; £125,596) worth of goods. Its director Abdul Rahman said the men, aged between 40 and 60, were arrested while they were unloading curtains from a container at Taman Shamelin Perkasa in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur about 2.30pm on Saturday. Abdul Rahman said the men, believed to be directors of a company, failed to produce valid documents to prove that they had paid the import duty. They then led the enforcement officers to conduct raids at two stores nearby where tetron cotton fabrics and curtains worth RM717,985 ($188,974; £128,823) and RM199,569 ($52,527; £35,807) in import duty were seized. "Our initial investigations found that the company had been importing curtains and fabrics from China to be distributed to traders nationwide. This company is only allowed to import woven fabric and printing paper but has imported these items to make quick profits," he told reporters here yesterday. He said the department would intensify checks at all entry points. He also said the men would be charged under Section 135(1)(i) of the Customs Act 1967 and shall be liable to a RM10,000 ($2,632; £1,794) fine or not less than 10 times the amount duty and not more than 20 times of the duty if convicted.

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